These budget rowing machines are designed to offer a great full-body workout, providing low-impact cardio session that could save your joints from added stress.
Rowing machines can be a vital piece of kit for training in the comfort of your home, but they often come at a cost.
Whether you’re looking for the perfect machine for some active recovery, hoping to bolster your cardio or tone up with a higher resistance, we’ve scoured the online waters to help you find the right cheap rowing machine for your fitness needs.
Best budget rowing machines
Dripex Magnetic Rowing Machine
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The Dripex Magnetic rowing machine offers 16 variable levels of resistance, which is great to see from a rowing machine that falls around the £300 mark. Dripex claim their no-touch magnetic resistance is particularly quiet, so you shouldn’t need to worry about disturbing your neighbours.
There’s also a smart monitor that allows you to keep track of your stroke rate, time, distance and calories. Plus, it’s battery powered, so you won’t need to work out near a plug socket.
With a PU feather seat for comfort and built-in wheels for easy moving and storage, this should be a good beginner rower to cover all the basics.
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Domyos Folding Rowing Machine 100
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This rowing machine from Domyos shoots for pure simplicity. It uses two interchangeable resistance bands to give you a choice of required level of resistance and there’s a handy phone holder, so you can follow a workout or keep up with your favourite TV show.
This could be the perfect machine if you don’t have much space to spare, weighing in at a light 13kg and fitted with two transport wheels so you can move adjust position and location as you see fit. It’s stated this rower takes up about the same amount of space as a chair when folded and has just a five-second folding time.
The elastic resistance means this machine might not be the best option for more seasoned rowers looking for a wide variety of tensions. However, Domyos’ creation should be perfect beginners and those who want convenience and simplicity.
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Reebok ZJET Rowing Machine
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This magnetic rowing machine from industry giants Reebok offers 16 levels of resistance and 19 user programmes. Users can mimic different rowing challenges so should benefit from increased workout variety, from sprint to endurance-based cardio, all with a backlit LCD monitor.
The ZJET falls at the higher end of budget machines and aims to provide sturdiness, with a 6kg flywheel designed for more intense workout sessions. Users from every fitness level should be able to find the right workout for them, plus the higher number of levels means you’re unlikely to outgrow the resistance.
This increased durability means it’s on the larger side, though, and isn’t particularly portable at a weighty 35kg. It also isn’t battery operated, so you may need an extension cable if you can’t make room next to a plug socket.
400.00
HOMCOM Rowing Machine
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The HOMCOM Rowing Machine has a great price, and offers a hydraulic rowing system with 12 adjustable levels of resistance and a built-in LCD monitor. This is another indoor rower that aims to be lightweight and simplistic, offering a fold-away system and weighing in at 11kg.
The hydraulic system means you should be in for a quiet row. At this price point, it’s also great to see that the battery-powered monitor allows you to keep track of time, stroke count and calories burned.
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V-fit Tornado Air Rower
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It’s more difficult to get hold of an air rowing machine in the budget price bracket, but V-fit provide this, the Tornado Air Rower. This battery-powered air rower aims to replicate the experience of rowing on water more closely than magnetic and cord systems.
It includes a three-screen, six-function exercise monitor for recording strokes per minute, distance covered, calories and speed. The air-powered system means resistance will increase the harder the handle is pulled, which is not the case with elastic, hydraulic or magnetic systems.
However, it should be noted that this air system will cause some noise, so it may be better for the user who wants a realistic feel on a budget and may not be the best option for an active recovery row in front of the TV.
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JTX Surge: Compact Rowing Machine
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This magnetic rower from JXfitness comes with several workout options. There are 16 levels of magnetic resistance and 14 workout programmes, complete with a digital console for tracking your progress. These features mean this rower should be ideal for adding variance, keeping your sessions fresh and exciting.
It’s particularly compact at 152cm in length, which is great for smaller spaces, complete with wheels and an upright storage function. In terms of convenience, it may be important to bear in mind that this rower is mains powered, in case a battery-powered option would be more convenient for you.
Due to this extra compactness, this rower only supports a maximum user weight of up to 90kg and a max user height of 6 feet and 2 inches. Most rowing machines on the market can support around the 110-120kg range, so this might not be the best machine for larger, taller users.